Grief

Grief is a complex emotion that arises in response to loss, most often the death of a loved one or an object that has been destroyed. Traditional discussions of grief tend to center on the emotional reaction, but there are also cognitive, behavioral, social, and philosophical aspects. While bereavement and sorrow are sometimes used interchangeably, they really relate to different states and responses to loss.

Grief is a normal human reaction to loss. Grief is the emotional anguish a person has as a result of losing something or someone they care about. Grief is an emotional response to any kind of loss. Most people are familiar with sadness in the context of a loved one's death, but people experience grief in response to many other losses throughout their life, including job loss, illness, and the end of a romantic engagement. A person's sense of loss may be either concrete, such as when they lose a loved one to death, or abstract when it pertains to intangible components of their social relationships.

Griefing process

An understanding that grief is a more complicated process of coping to loss than stage and phase models have previously suggested has led to widespread doubt regarding the universal and predictable "emotional pathway" that goes from suffering to "recovery" in recent years.

Causes

• A relation breakup
• Loss of health
• Losing of job
• Loss of financial stability
• Miscarriage
• Changing job
• Moving from home
• Death of pet and loved ones
• Selling home loved one's serious illness

Stages of grief

• Denial

One of the initial responses to a loss is denial, as the reality of the loss is difficult to confront. The person is trying to deny the severity of their position and replace it with a more favorable fantasy.

• Anger

​​​​​​​As the individual enters Stage 2, they begin to see that they must eventually come to terms with the reality that they are in denial. Their anger makes them difficult to care for because of their misplaced sentiments of hate and envy. The angry person may feel resentment toward everyone they care about, including themselves, others, a higher power, and especially those who are closest to them. During this time, a person's thoughts may wander to questions such "Why me? It's not fair!

• Bargaining

The third stage of grief is the belief that the source of that sadness may be changed or avoided. Typically, one bargains for a longer life span with a divine being in exchange for moral upbringing changes. However, there are instances when they would utilize anything of value as a negotiating chip with another human agency in order to achieve a longer lifespan. The question "Can we still be friends?" is one such example. When it's a question of life and death, bargaining almost never results in a satisfactory outcome.

• Depression

"I'm so depressed, why do anything at all?" etc. In the fourth stage of mourning, the bereaved person accepts the finality of death. He or she may withdraw emotionally and physically, becoming withdrawn, mute, and hostile to visitors. The grieving individual is able to emotionally distance themselves from their loved ones and the items that formerly brought them comfort. Oftentimes, this is the perfect road to pursue, to achieve closure and make their journeys to the fifth stage, acceptance.

• Acceptance

"Everything will be fine." People in this stage are beginning to accept the reality of their own mortality, the death of a loved one, or some other catastrophic incident. This phase might be short or long depending on the individual's circumstances. Dying individuals sometimes enter this phase long before their loved ones, who must go through their own unique phases of grief.

Coping with grief

• Turn to friends and family members

Even if you like to think of yourself as strong and independent, you should definitely rely on the people who care about you right now. Accept help from loved ones and draw them closer to you instead of pushing them away. Whether it's someone to weep on or assistance with funeral preparations, folks often want to help but don't know how to do so.

• Draw comfort from your faith

Do everything you can to participate in your religion's rituals of mourning if you find solace in them. Prayer, meditation, or attending a religious service that has meaning for you might be a source of comfort. Talk to a religious leader or trusted friends if the loss has left you questioning your religion.

• Talk to a therapist or grief counselor

Call a mental health expert who specializes in grief therapy if your sorrow becomes unbearable. Intense feelings and roadblocks to healing during grief are manageable with the assistance of a trained therapist.

• Join a support group

Even when surrounded by loved ones, the isolation of grief may be intense. You will find comfort in talking to people who understand your pain. Inquire at local medical facilities, hospices, funeral homes, and mental health clinics about the availability of grief support groups in your region.

• Face your feelings

You can attempt to suppress your grief, but it will eventually surface again. Recognizing suffering is a necessary step toward recovery. Ignoring or suppressing grief just makes it last longer. Complications including despair, anxiety, substance misuse, and health issues can arise from unresolved sorrow as well.

• Express your feelings in a tangible or creative way

Record your feelings of grief in writing. Create a scrapbook or picture album in memory of the deceased person, become active in a cause that was dear to their heart, or compose a letter to them in which you express the unspoken words you never got to speak.

• Look after your physical health

The mind and the body are connected. Feeling physically well has a positive effect on one's mental health. Take care of yourself by getting enough shut-eye, eating correctly, and working out regularly to combat stress and exhaustion. Don't try to dull the sting of loss or artificially boost your mood with booze or drugs.

• Don't let anyone tell you how to feel, and don't tell yourself how to feel either

No one else has the right to urge you to "get over it" or "move on" from your grief. Feel free to express all of your emotions without worrying that someone will judge you. Feel free to vent your frustrations by yelling at the sky, crying, or not crying at all. When you are ready, it is also OK to let go, laugh, and discover joy.

• Plan ahead for grief "triggers"

Celebrations of anniversaries, festivals, and other significant dates might bring up old emotions. Expect to feel some strong emotions; this is natural. Talk to other family members ahead of time about their expectations, and come up with a plan for how everyone can celebrate the holiday or life event in a way that is fitting for the person you lost.

Complicated grief

Grief and complicated grief are two different things. An lengthy duration of mourning, as well as additional factors, including mental and physical problems, describe complicated sorrow. Recognizing how the signs of complex grieving differ from those of simple loss is crucial. According to the Mayo Clinic, natural mourning involves experiencing the typical emotions associated with a loss. However, when this response evolves into complex grieving, the resulting feelings of loss become incapacitating and persist even as time passes. Complicated grief is characterized by the following symptoms: "intense preoccupation with thoughts of the deceased or reminders of the loss, difficulty reconciling one's own mortality in light of the loss, persistent yearning for the departed, inability to move on from the loss, emotional numbness or detachment... feelings of resentment, anger, agitation, and a general lack of trust in others as a result of your loss; an inability to find joy in life; melancholy or profound grief; difficulty performing usual routines; withdrawal from social activities; a sense that your life has no meaning or purpose;" Complicated sorrow has its own unique set of symptoms that seem to combine those of separation and severe suffering. In addition to the aforementioned characteristics, these grieving reactions are termed complex because, unlike traditional mourning, they do not subside with time or medication (such as tricyclic antidepressants).